Mantidae is one of the largest families in the order of praying mantises, based on the type species Mantis religiosa; however, most genera are tropical or subtropical. Historically, this was the only family in the order, and many references still use the term "mantid" to refer to any mantis. Technically, however, "mantid" refers only to members of the family Mantidae, and not the 14 remaining families of mantises. Some of the most recent classifications have promoted a number of the mantid subfamilies to the rank of family, e.g. Iridopterygidae, Sibyllidae, Tarachodidae, Thespidae, and Toxoderidae, while other classifications have reduced the number of subfamilies without elevating to higher rank.
Liturgusidae is a family of praying mantids in the new (2019) Neotropical superfamily Acanthopoidea. A substantial number of genera, previously placed here, have recently been moved to the new or revived other families:
Metallyticus splendidus is a rare species of praying mantis found in Southeast Asia. It has an iridescent appearance.
Rhombodera is a genus of praying mantises native to Asia and possessing common names such as shield mantis, hood mantis, and leaf mantis because of their extended, leaf-like thoraxes.
Acanthops is a genus of mantises in the family Acanthopidae, containing 20 species that can be found in Central and South America.
Antistia is a genus of mantids in the family Tarachodidae. There are at least four described species in Antistia.
Acanthopidae is a family of mantises consisting of 16 genera in the order Mantodea. The group was first formally split off as a separate family by the German entomologist Reinhard Ehrmann in 2002. In 2016, five genera were moved from Acanthopidae to the newly created family Acontistidae, but this has not been accepted in most recent classifications.
Stenophylla is a genus of praying mantis in the subfamily Stenophyllinae, which is now placed in the family Acanthopidae. It the sole genus of the tribe Stenophyllini.
Charieis is a genus of mantids in the family Tarachodidae. It is a monotypic genus with a single recognised species, Charieis peeli.
Angelidae is a family of mantises found in tropical Central and South Americas.
Iridopteryginae is a subfamily of mantids in the family Gonypetidae. There are two tribes, distributed in tropical Asia.
Tropidomantinae is a subfamily of mantids in the new (2019) family Nanomantidae. Within the single tribe Tropidomantini there are six genera, distributed in Asia and the Pacific.
Coptopterygidae is a family of mantids in the order Mantodea. There are at least 2 genera and more than 20 described species in Coptopterygidae.
Photinaidae is a family of mantids in the order Neotropical Mantodea, in the superfamily Acanthopoidea. There are about 11 genera and more than 40 described species in Photinaidae.
Thespinae is a subfamily of mantids in the family Thespidae. There are 16 genera and at least 40 described species: found in Australasia, Central and South America.
Haaniinae is a subfamily of mantids, now placed in the new (2019) family Haaniidae; species can found in Asia.
Nanomantini is a tribe of Asian mantids in the new (2019) family Nanomantidae. There are about 6 genera and 10 described species in Nanomantini.
Rhombomantis is a genus of mantids in the family Mantidae. There are at least four described species in Rhombomantis.
Pseudovates is a genus of praying mantis in the family Mantidae. There are more than 20 described species in Pseudovates, found in North, Central, and South America.
Liturgusa is the type genus of praying mantids of the family Liturgusidae. The genus consists of more than twenty species with a Neotropical distribution.
